• Darth_Reagan [they/them, comrade/them]
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      edit-2
      2 months ago

      farmers will rotate crops because they leech and release different nutrients from/into the soil. its common to follow up certain crops with beans because they release nitrogen or something into the soil. i'm sure someone else has a better understanding of how it works.

    • happybadger [he/him]
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      2 months ago

      In addition to what Darth_Reagan said, it's for pest control as well. By keeping a plant in the field for more than one season, you provide a food source for pests whose parents went there to feed the previous one. Some diseases only impact certain crops and can stick around in the dead matter only to attack your vulnerable new plants.